1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening structure for fastening an integrated circuit (IC) and an electrical connector using the fastening structure.
2. Background of the invention
A conventional electrical connector, referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,902, is used for connecting an IC package to a circuit board. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing embedded with a plurality of conductive contacts, a load plate and a stiffener plate movably connected with each other, and a handle used for fixing the load plate with the stiffener plate. The IC package is placed on the insulative housing and the load plate is rotated to press on the IC package. Then, the handle is rotated to make a pressing part of the handle press on the load plate, and an operating part of the handle is fastened to a tongue part of the load plate. Thereby, the IC package is firmly fastened to the electrical connector.
However, there are some inadequacies in the electrical connector: firstly, when the handle is rotated to make the load plate press on the IC package, the IC package is easily warped and the electrical connector is easily damaged and cannot work normally. Secondly, the manufacture of the load plate is very complicated and it is too much of an expense to manufacture the load plate.
An electrical connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,483 for attaching an IC package to a circuit board includes an insulative housing embedded with a plurality of conductive contacts, a stiffener fixed on the circuit board and seated around the insulative housing, a U-shaped first pressing rod and a U-shaped second pressing rod pivoted to two ends of the stiffener, respectively. The first pressing rod and the second pressing rod each define a bent central section that is adapted to abut against one end of the IC package. The first pressing rod defines an extension extending laterally from the free end thereof, and the second pressing rod defines a rod portion for engaging with the extension of the first pressing rod and the end of the rod portion can be pivoted to the stiffener. In use, the stiffener is fixed on the circuit board, and then the IC package is assembled on the housing, the first pressing rod is rotated to a horizontal position where the bent central section of the first pressing portion presses one end of the IC package. The second pressing portion is rotated to engage with opposite end of the stiffener. Then, the bent central sections of the first and the second pressing rod press two ends of the IC package and the rod portion of the second pressing rod presses the extension of the first pressing rod, therefore, the IC package is mounted in the electrical connector. Because the bent central sections of the first pressing rod and the second pressing rod press two ends of the IC package, the contacting area between the electrical connector and the IC package is small and the rate that the IC package is damaged gets smaller. Further, this structural electrical connector has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.
There is still a room for perfection for the electrical connector disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,483: the first pressing rod engages with the second pressing rod near the middle position of the housing, it will add the height of the whole electrical connector and it goes against the development trend of the electrical connector. Furthermore, the first pressing rod and the second pressing just press two ends of the IC package, the IC package con not be assembled firmly in the electrical connector.
In view of the above, a new electrical connector which enables to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.